Projektbeschreibung
Studie zu den Farbmustern der Vögel
Die natürliche Musterung der Tiere weist bei der räumlichen Anordnung zwischen verschiedenen Arten unglaubliche Vielfalt auf. Dennoch bestehen innerhalb spezifischer Gruppen bestimmte Trends, die ein biologisches Rätsel darstellen: Durch welche Ereignisse werden diese phänotypischen Bereiche geprägt? Im ERC-finanzierten Projekt PLUMAGE werden die Mechanismen hinter den Farbmustern von Vögeln untersucht, um zu verstehen, wie sich das Aussehen des Gefieders bildet und entwickelt. Die Annahme ist, dass die Muster trotz der Vielfalt durch die frühe Entwicklung eingeschränkt sind und die Variationen sich durch Farbveränderung einer gemeinsamen Vorlage ergeben. Die Forschenden beobachten Vogelarten, kartieren embryonale Farbbereiche und analysieren genetische Mechanismen, um die Entwicklungsprozesse hinter diesen Mustern zu entschlüsseln.
Ziel
Most animals display striking patterns (i.e. spatial arrangement of characters in typical geometries). Natural patterns vary extensively, but also display trends within given taxa. A major biological challenge is to identify the pattern-forming events that shape this typical phenotypic landscape. Here, we propose to study the mechanisms responsible for the formation and evolution of the avian colour pattern (i.e. the spatial distribution of colour across the plumage). We test the provocative idea that despite enormous apparent diversity, variation in avian colour patterns is in fact very limited due to early developmental constraints, most variation resulting from colour choice changes in a common template. To test this hypothesis, we designed a step-wise approach organised in 4 specific research objectives: first, we will identify broadly shared and group-specific colour domains in the avian plumage by performing a quantitative survey across the entire bird phylogeny. Second, we will pinpoint the embryonic origin of these colour domains by constructing a lineage map of the developing skin. Third, we will identify positional cues controlling the establishment of embryonic blueprints of the future colour pattern by performing comparative expression analyses and functional tests in species displaying relevant pattern variation. Fourth, we will uncover changes in mechanisms through which embryonic blueprints implement the pattern in the late skin by pinpointing genetic loci co-evolving with pattern changes and testing their effect in an ex vivo system. In each objective, our methodology opportunistically uses non-model species of birds and robust functional testing performed in multiple species. Together, this proposal represents the largest comparative study of developmental processes undertaken in natural populations of birds. Results will provide a comprehensive understanding of the developmental mechanisms underlying trends and variation in natural patterns.
Schlüsselbegriffe
Programm/Programme
- HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme
Thema/Themen
Finanzierungsplan
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC GrantsGastgebende Einrichtung
75794 Paris
Frankreich